Review of Big Name Fan by Ruthie Knox and Cat Sebastian
I couldn’t help but feel a spark of excitement the moment I heard about Big Name Fan. With its tantalizing blend of fanfiction, celebrity gossip, and amateur sleuthing, it seemed like the perfect book for me—a self-proclaimed lover of all things fandom. The authors, Ruthie Knox and Cat Sebastian, have crafted a narrative that should have been right up my alley. But as I turned the pages, I found myself grappling with an overwhelming sense of disappointment.
At its core, Big Name Fan follows Bex Simon, a theater kid, along with her co-star Sam, navigating the chaotic world of fame and fandom while solving a mystery. However, Bex, our protagonist, felt more like a cardboard cutout than the vibrant character I was hoping for. How can a character marketed as a theater kid come off as so remarkably dull? Certainly, I expected Bex to at least have a hint of the flamboyance and charisma typically inherent in theater culture, but instead, she came across with a flat emotional register that left me scratching my head.
One of my frustrations lies in the authors’ ambitious endeavor to build a layered world filled with both show-specific lore and real-world backstory. The idea is compelling—merging the magic of fanfiction with a murder mystery should have resulted in something exhilarating. Sadly, the execution felt heavy with exposition, leaving little room for the characters to truly breathe. Right out of the gate, I was inundated with Bex’s family dynamics, backstory, and show lore, drowning in information that should have been cleverly woven into the narrative. It was as if I were desperately trying to keep my head above water while being dragged deeper and deeper into an ocean of detail.
Sam, the other half of our leading duo, is equally frustrating. While the narrative seems to set her up as a dynamic figure—possibly a "grrrrl boss"—she’s more of an idea than a fully fleshed-out character. I kept waiting for her charisma to shine through stronger, but like Bex, she felt underdeveloped, leaving me with a lingering sense of emptiness.
One of my key takeaways is how the heart of the story—what’s supposed to be a captivating romance—just fizzles out on the page. The chemistry and longing between Bex and Sam, purportedly the driving force of the narrative, felt absent. In fact, I’ve read fan fictions that stirred more tension between characters in mere paragraphs than Big Name Fan does in its 300 pages.
Perhaps the core of my disappointment lies in the authors’ attempt to capture the essence of fandom, where intricate fan worlds breathe life into characters. While I admire their homage to fan culture, they missed the mark when trying to translate that feeling into this narrative. Instead of invigorating the characters with the rich quirks and quirks that fanfic enriches, we’re left with a hollow representation of what could have been.
In conclusion, Big Name Fan may resonate more with those who approach it without the lens of fanfiction experience, but for readers like me, who yearned for a deeper exploration of those beloved tropes, it simply doesn’t deliver. While I was ultimately disappointed, I respect the book’s ambition and creativity. If you find yourself looking for a gentle dive into the world of fandom without the high stakes of emotional investment, perhaps this book could find a welcoming home on your shelf. However, for die-hard fans of fanfiction, this could feel like a missed opportunity to engage with a world brimming with potential.